Measuring device



-J. D. NIXON Nov. 15, 1938.

MEASURING DEVICE Filed Nov. 22,1957

, Jeaay D. Nixon Gum/M3 Patented vNov. 15, 1938 s P -TEN OFFICE MEASURING DEVICE Jeddy D. Nixon, Houston, Tex., assignor of onehalf to Wilson Supply Company, a corporation or Texas AppIication'NovcmberZZ, 1931, Serial No. 175,905

2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements'in measuring devices.

One object of the-invention is-to provide an improved device adapted to receive a line 6r A cable which extends therethrough and being constructed to accurately. measure the line as it passes therethrough.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved measuring deviceior measur- 10 ing a line or other element lowered into a well bore to determine the depth of said bore, or locate the position of an object in the bore; said device being arranged to bemounted on or adjacent to the usual surface stufling box through which the line extends whereby a more accurate measurement may be obtained.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved measuring device having pulleys which are engaged by the line being measured so as to be rotated thereby, together with a counter or indicating mechanism actuated by said pulleys; there being an improved connection between the pulleys and indicating mechanism, whereby said mechanism is not affected by slight deflections in the line and a more accurat measurement is obtained. v

A further object of the invention is an improved device of the character described, having a pair of pulleys connected to each other to rotate simultaneously, with an idler located on a plane between the axis of the pulleys whereby the line to be measured passes between the pulleys andsaid idler, the latter acting to hold said line in" engagement with the pulleys and having positive means for varying its position to accommodate lines of various sizes; the device also including a, recording or indicating mechanism which is detachably connected to the pulleys and is actuated by the rotation thereof.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

. The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a. measuring device, constructed in accordance with the in- 5 vention, l

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional view of the same,

Figure 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section, and showing the uppermost drive 55 pulley in full section,

to provide Houston, Tex,

I Figure 4 is an isometric view of the connection between the pulley shaft and, the indicating and recording mechanism, and

Figure 5 is aview, partly in elevation and partly ins'ection, of one of the drive pulleys;

In the drawing, the numeral Ill designates a casing or housing which is substantially rectangular in cross-section. The top and bottom of the casing are closed and are provided with alined openings ll having a general rectangular shape. One side' of the casing is iormedwith a vertical slot l2 which extends throughthe height thereof and which communicates with the open- ;ings ll, as is clearly shown in Figure 1. Obviously, the line A or other element may be easily placed within or removed from the alined openings ll through the vertical slot i2 and it is not necessary to thread the line through said openings. The outer sides of the casing Ii] may be provided with suitable reenforcing ribs it, which are preferablymade integral therewith.

A pair of drive pulleys l4 and it are located within the casing or housing, ill at one side thereof. The lower pulley i5 is mounted on a transverse shait it, while the upper pulley it is mounted on a transverse shaft ii. The shafts extend transversely through the casing and since each are mounted in substantially the same manner, a description of one will suffice. The

shafts are located one above the other invertical alinement with the casing (Figure 2) and the uppermost shaft 'H has one end mounted in a suitable hearing it. The bearing is confined -within an opening it, being held therein by a removable retaining plate or disk 2t. fThe other end of the shaft l'l is supported within a suitable bearing 2!, similar to the bearing iii, and thevbearing M is disposed within an opening 22 provided in the wall of the casing. It is noted that the outer end of the shaft ll extends outwardly of the bearing ti and is provided with 'a transverse slot 23 so that 'it may be readily connected with an indicating and recording mechanism, as will be explained. The lowermost shaft it has its ends mounted in bearings it which are located within openings 2t in the casing wall. Retaining plates 25 confine the bearings withinsaidcpening'and manifestly the lower shaft it has its ends confined within the casing by the said plates. 1

' The pulleys l4 and itmay be mounted on their respective shafts in any suitable manner, but it is preferable to fasten the same as shown in Figures 3 and 5. Each pulley is formed with a radial bore 26 which extends from the base of the shaft 6 extends.

the groove of said pulley to the center thereof and each shaft is provided with an alined radial groove 21. An elongate pin or rod 28 is inserted in the bore 26 and has its inner end engaged within the recess 21 in the shafts. The upper end of the rod is engaged by a threaded screw 29 which is theaded into the upper end of the bore 26. Manifestly, the screw 29 holds the rod or pin 28 in engagement with the radial recess within the shafts and in this manner the pulleys are secured to said shafts, whereby rotation of said pulleys will impart rotation to the shafts.

A sprocket 30 is secured by bolts 3| to the hub of each pulley and said sprocket is spaced from the hub by a suitable spacing collar or ring 32. As is clearly shown in Figure 3, the sprocket 30 secured to the pulley 24 has a central opening through which the shaft l1 extends, while the sprocket which is fastened to the pulley I5, is provided with a similar opening through which An endless chain 33 passes over the sprockets 30, fastened to the pulleys I4 and |5, and connects the pulleys, whereby a rotation of one will impart rotation to the other.

Thus, it will be manifest that the pulleys l4 and |5 rotate simultaneously.

The line A, or other element extending. through the casing |0, engages within the grooves of the pulleys and this line is held within said grooves by an idler Wheel or roller 34. This roller is mounted on the lower end of an arm 35, which arm has its upper end pivoted on a pin 36 extending transversely within the casing. As is clearly shown in Figure 2, the roller 34 is rotatable on a pin 3'! and the length of the arm 35 is such that the roller is substantially midway betwcen the shaft l6 and shaft being located at the-opposite side or end of the casing |0. As has been stated, the line A engages the pulleys l4 and I5, while the opposite side of said line is engaged by the roller 34. Said roller is held in such engagement by a laterally extend- I ing screw 38 which is threaded through an opening 39 provided in one end of the casing. The inner end of the screw 38 engages the arm 35 and by adjusting said screw the position of the roller 34 with relatioh to the center of the casing may be varied. The screw is adjusted so that the roller 34 places sufficient tension against the line A. that said line is held in engagement with the base of the grooves in the pulleys 4 and I5, whereby a frictional contact between said line and pulleys is obtained. With such arrangement, the movement of the line vertically through the casing It! will impart a rotation to the pulleys I4 and |5 because of the frictional contact between said line and said pulleys. The provision of the roller 34 which is movable to various positions within the casing, provides a medium whereby the tension of the line against the pulleys may be varied. Also various size lines or cables may be accommodated.

For recording the amount or length of line which passes through the casing I0, a suitable recording and indicating mechanism 40 is pro-.

vided. This mechanism includes a. casing 4| having the usual indicating wheels 42 therein. The indicating wheels carry the usual numerals which are visible through a. window 43 provided in the casing 4|. The operating shaft 44 of said mechanism extends from one end thereof and this shaft is surrounded by a collar 45 which is preferably made integral with the casing 4| (Figure 3). The shaft 44 extends outwardly from. the collar 45 and has a. coupling member 46 fastened For supporting the recording and indicating,

mechanism 40 in operating position at one side of the casing l0, an outwardly projecting collar 50 surrounds the opening within which the bearing 2| is mounted. This collar is adapted to receive one end of a supporting bracket 5|, which is fastened within the collar by a suitable screw 52. As is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3, the bracket 5| is angular and has its inner portion formed with a countersunk opening or bore 53, which is to receive the end of the shaft H, as well as the coupling member 46 on the end of the shaft operating shaft of the recording mechanism. The enlarged portion of the bore 53 of the bracket has the collar 45 of the casing 4| insertable therein. indicating and recording mechanism 40 is removably supported on the casing I0 and the bracket 5| is removably fastened in the collar 50.

The operation of the deviceis obvious. The

line A, or other element, is entered or inserted into the openings within the top and bottom of the casing i0 through the vertical slot 2 provided in one wall of said casing. The line is engaged within the grooves of the pulleys 4 and I5 and the adjusting screw 38 is manipulated so as to move the roller 34 into engagement with the line, whereby said line is confined between the pulleys on one side and the roller 34 on the other. The proper tension may be placed on the line by adjusting the screw 38. As the line moves vertically through the casing, the frictional engagement of said line against the pulleys l4 and I5 will impart a rotation to said pulleys, which will rotate simultaneously due to the sprockets 30 and connecting chain 33. As the pulleys rotate, the shaft ll of the upper pulley I4 is rotated and will impart a rotation to the operating shaft 44 of the recording and indicating unit 40 due to the engagement of the lug 48 within the transverse slot 23. anism is of course adjusted to register the number of feet of line passing through the casing Hi. It is noted that the connection between the shaft l1 and the operating shaft 44 of the recording mechanism is a loose connection, whereby slight deflectionsin the line A will not effect the recording mechanism and thereby a more accurate indication is obtained.

When the device is used to measure a line being introduced into, or removed from, a well, it is preferable to mount the device directly on or adjacent to the stuffing box through which the line A extends. This stuffing box is usually mounted at the surface of a well and by so mounting the casing, a more accurate measurement of the line may be bad. When mounted directly on or adjacent to the stuffing box, some means must be provided for holding the same on said box when the line A' is moved upwardly as the tendency will be to move the entire casing upwardly with said line. For this purpose, the opening I in the bottom of the casing I0 may be'slightly enlarged so, that a strap 55 may extend therethrough. This strap is pivoted on a pin 56 within the-cas- With such arrangement, the

The recording meching, and its opposite end is provided with an opening or eye 51. drum or other fastening means may be passed through the opening I! and commodatinn an element extending through the casing and into a well, a pair of pulleysmounted in vertical alignment within said casing and journaled in the walls of said casing, each of said pulleys having a circurnierentiaigroove which is adapted to be irictionally engaged by the element extending through said casing, whereby move merit of the element imparts rotation to said pulleys, an arm pivotally mounted within said casing, a single roller on the swinging end of said arm within said casing and located in a horizontal plane substantially mid-way between the centers of said pulleys, said roller engaging the element to hold the same in engagement with the circumierential grooves on said pulleys, a screw extending through one wall of said casing for engaging the swinging end thereof for vary ing the position of said roller to vary the tension on the element confined between said roller and said pulleys, and aregistering mechanism connected with one of said pulleys for registering the rotations thereof, whereby the location of the lower end 01' the element extending through the casing and into a well may be determined.

aligned openings at its top and bottom for accommodating an element extending through the casing 'andinto a well and an opening in one wall of said casing connecting the openings in the top and bottom of said casing, a pair of shafts journaled in the walls of said casing, a pulley mounted, on each shaft in vertical alignment within said casing, said pulleys having circumferential grooves which are adapted to be iricticnally engaged by the element extending through said casing, whereby movement of the element imparts rotation to said pulleys and said shafts, a sprocket mounted on each shaft adjacent and fastened to each pulley, a chain connecting and extending over said sprockets, a registering mechanism connected with one of said shafts for registering the rotations of said shafts, whereby the location 01 the lower end of the element extending through said casing and into a well may be determined, an arm pivotally mounted within said casino, a single roller on the swinging end of said arm within said casing and located in a horizontal plane substantially mid-way between the centers of said pulleys, said roller engaging the element to hold the same in engagement with the circumferential grooves on said pulleys, and a screw extending through one wall of said casing for engaging the swinging end thereof for varying the position of said roller to vary the tension on the element conilned between said roller and said pulleys.

JEDIZDY D. NIXON. 

